LAW FOR JOURNALISTS : WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR IN A MAGISTRATE COURT : PART 1

Hi and welcome to another addition of my feature. I realized that previously I have not talked about the different courts present in the UK judicial system and what kind of cases you can expect to write on in each court. I would like to start with the magistrate court. This week I will explain minor or summary offenses dealt with by the magistrates. And of course, give you any juicy gossip that it currently taken place in the media world as I type!

- A magistrate court is much more formal than the youth court. To give you an idea see the two pictures above, just so you are aware of the layout.

- A minimum of two magistrates sit in on summary or minor offense trials while at a crown court, only one magistrate is required to supervise the more serious (indictable) offenses. However in some courts you might notice that full time district judges may not need the assistance of magistrates and might adjudicate on a case alone. This usually happens when there is a complex or lengthy case at hand.

- Most prosecutions or convictions of a defendant (the one who has been accused of an action against the claimant, who is the individual who brings an action against the accused) are carried out by lawyers who are employed by the Crown Prosecution Service. They work on behalf of the police and so are employed by the state, so as to say. Most prison sentences start at about 6 months and then can be increased as the defendant is found guilty of more offenses.

- Court lists can be made available to the press before court proceedings so that journalists have an idea of some details of the defendant for their story. However, it is well known that a defendant's address or name will not be published and will be kept anonymous.

And now for your latest in media news and entertainment:-

- Mark Ronson has reconciled with Amy Winehouse and plans to help her release her third album.
- Timbaland will be performing at the Ultra Music Festival in Miami on this Saturday. Ooooh!! I am so jealous of those who have got tickets to this. Hopefully someone puts this footage on Facebook.
- And the animal rights group, PETA has asked for Michael Jackson to leave the animals alone after he revealed plans to want to ride an elephant for when he performs on stage in London!

And that's it for now... remember to always play and say in a way that helps you get recognised in this big big world.

Fabuluso xxxx

Tawiah - Get to know

So, Tuesday just gone I’m up central with a mate and its pouring down like too many beers and a bad curry. Just as we got out of the Oxford Street tube this upper class old lady behind us goes, “Excuse me do you know where I might find a shop that sells umbrella’s near here?” True story, I tell her to wait right there with my mate and I rush round the corner to that off licence, you know, the one which looks like it’s been there for 300 years and the city was just built around it. I check and he does have a few going, so I pick one up… [£3 if you ever get caught out there, don’t say I never hook you up with the essentials]… walk back round to the lady open it up and hand it to her with a soft, ‘there you go, don’t want to get too wet now do we’. Kindly she asks how much she owes me and obviously I’m not gonna take no p’s from her so I just tell her it was my pleasure, which it was. The look on her face, it was mixed with surprise and deep warmth. I mean, I know what she was thinking, ‘I cannot believe this young black man off road in an Era cap who didn’t know me from Adam went out of his way for me’. And you know what? I guarantee she’ll be telling that story for a while at her members club. That feeling, when you feel so good because you know you’ve been able to contribute to someone else fortune? Well I feel like that every time I go to HMV or Itunes and know that my hard earned cash is going into the hands of an artist or producer who actually deserves it. Tawiah being one of those. She’s probably one of the few singers I wouldn’t go on screw face about for parting with a few nuggets to see live, because lets face it, most times you have to weigh up the pro’s and cons before any night out which starts with £30 at the door. But the thing about this young starlet is she is to the music industry what 3 extra stone would be to Amy Winehouse, a very good, beautiful and healthy thing. She is also what Erykah Badu would’ve been like if she was born in the 80’s, came from London and knew Mark Ronson.

Tawiah singing ‘Gone’

P.S Check out her myspace, one of my fav. songs 'Everystep' is up there. And if for some strange reason you're not feeling it, go drown yourself in an old people's home toilet.

www.myspace.com/tawiah

Bless

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